2011 tOSU Offense Discussion

[MD Buckeye]

Our offense needs to be built around Jordan Hall & Boom, when he returns. Period.

 

[southcampus]

Our offense needs to be built around Jordan Hall & Boom, when he returns. Period.

Yep. This team is built to run, run, and then throw the ball deep. If we're passing, I don't wanna see it over the middle. I want it to the flats or on rollouts. Which QB do you think gives us the best opportunity to do this well?

 

[MD Buckeye]

Yep. This team is built to run, run, and then throw the ball deep. If we're passing, I don't wanna see it over the middle. I want it to the flats or on rollouts. Which QB do you think gives us the best opportunity to do this well?

After what I've seen of Joe through 3 games, it's time to give the keys to Braxton. Let him live through his mistakes, make his progressions and be the man. He's going to be special and we all know that, it's just going to take some time. Once the game slows down for him, watch the hell out.

 

[Jake]

Some of you forget this offense was built around Terrelle Pryor. Everyone thought he was coming back after week 5. He left, leaving us a guy who simply is not the answer, and a true freshmen not ready to operate said offense.

Tress was THE mastermind. With him and TP gone, people should have expected a bumpy start on offense.

First off, TP announced he was leaving in June, not the week before the season. That's a lame excuse. Second, "bumpy" is putting it mildly.

The fact is, some of these same issues have existed for awhile. The difference now is we don't have a TP back to there to cover up for it by making improvisational plays with his athleticism.

 

[DiehardBuck]

I have an opinion too.. Yesterday was just a horrible start. Falling behind 14-0 forced us to be more aggressive through the air and steer away from what we're truely good at which is RUNNING THE BALL. Neither of our QB's yesterday are taylored to play that type of game.

Had our defense (which played well enough to win IMO) made a stop right away and not fallen behind we would've been able to run the ball more of the game.

In saying that we can beat Colorado and MSU with what we have right now, but we've got to just find a starter at QB before we get to Nebraska. The fact that Joe still wasn't ready to face a Miami defense even though he's been with the team for 5 years tells me all I need to know what SHOULD happen.

When Boom gets back though we have the talent to be a power team with a opportunistic passing game. Herron, Hall, and Hyde is one helluva stable of backs. Boom can really pound it, as can Hyde, and then you add in a shifty diverse player like hall. We can really be something running the ball.

If neither QB is going to be great throwing the ball get Braxton in there for more options atleast. Imagine Hall in the slot, Boom Standing next to Braxton.... All the potential reads and assignments a defense would have! It may open up some of those quick hitting slants and those types of things because people are watching Hall/Herron/Miller. If a defense is playing assignment football with hall running in motion from the slot and Braxton in the backfield with Herron/Hyde standing next to him I believe it forces a defense A) to cover the width of the field and B) to slow down and not be so aggressive.

 

[DiehardBuck]

We can turn this around, but it's got to start right now. The team can say all they want but the second Braxton turns a sack into a 20 yard gain this offense will feel a lift that unfortunately Bauserman cannot deliver.

Get these next two games in the bag anyways we possibly can. Then once Herron and Posey come around.. Man I'm telling you we can get good.

It'll all start with the decision Fickel makes regaurding our QB tho. Go with status quo and you will get status quo, go with a change you will get change

 

[Buckeneye]

It boils down to schematic identity. The issue with tailoring an offense to meet the strengths of a QB.

When you go from a QB whom possess(ed) a skill set capable of opening the offense with his athleticism to a QB who neither possess said athleticism or the ability to make defenses pay with his arm or accuracy, then you have a problem.

Obviously first being QB. I love JB for the Buckeye he is. However Krenzel far and away was a more capable QB for his 'limited' skill set. JB doesn't have much pocket presence and feel for pressure. Little idea of timing. (young WR's do not help his cause.) Its a lose-lose.

Next is scheme. Are we a power run team that moves off of play action? We utilized spread/space formations & concepts. We've integrated the TE in our passing attack as well as HB/WR (Hall, Ginn) in multiple positions and alignments. We have had no true dedication to either. That said. This team has had a bulk of success being balanced in all concepts. Athleticism at QB was rather necessary during those times (Pryor, early years Troy and even Krenzel)

We know our offense will be based on the run game. Be it from your standard shotgun, pistol, under center I or single back. Last years unit may have been tailored around Terrelle, but Boom (and Saine, Hall Berry) were one of the main cogs.

Its clear we require Boom & Hall for this offense to run (no pun intended)...

I was.... disgusted, with the inability to find WR's last night off of play action even though our RB's were productive (damn near 10ypc last night at one point for Jordan) and our Oline was standing tall. One half is youth & inexperience. The other is incapability & hesitation. Both may be a lesser evil - I however side with youth & inexperience should I continue to push forward.


The play calling was pedestrian. Part of that I can understand. However if we are so ready to use the excuse that this offense was 'developed' for Pryor - we've long known of his suspensions. They're should have been sufficient preparation and packages/tweaks in the meantime to adjust for personnel. IF* that has been done (more of a traditional power run game suggests so) then it again falls to incapability & hesitation.


Fact is. Wisconsin has an offense they run. No deviation. They've mastered it and (last years example) its a total bitch to stop. Their QB's are the same every year. Game managers. Pocket passers - no turnovers. Revolves around beef Olines and badass running. Identity. It starts with recruiting those kids. Now they have Russell Wilson. Looks like he got plugged into their system just fine. That being said I'm sure it also helps with how... 'little' they ask of their QB's.

USC: Pro style passing. Under center, maybe some shotgun. Primo talent at QB. But the offense isn't tailored for a pocket passer, then next year a scrambler. They recruit "their" type of QB, O line, RB... etc etc. Fits their coaching staff.


I could use more schools as examples but I'd hope you get the idea. I love having multiple sets for our offense. Makes it hard to prepare for. Even at the highest levels of play (Patriots) However its something all their QB's are given with few wrinkles.


Bottom line. Offensive deviation or not - it isn't working. Not until we have a good to great QB under center. Hasn't worked with an average QB since...01' 02? (excluding 03 due to RB production) Yet Maryland came out with great tenacity and a good gameplan and put up points on this team.
We get talent. Scouts know it, our fans know it, ESPiN knows it... Yet sometimes our play still baffles the living shit out of us.

I'll withhold comments on coach Bollman. O line gave me what I wanted to see though - some nasty play.

 

[DiehardBuck]

Great point.... You always heard Tressel saying how we will play to our strengths and all this... We've never had a set in stone identity going as far back to 2000. I guess I've never thought about it until that last post. If you get players that fit your style you will never have to change your offense... Kind of like urban does with the QB position. Urbran loves mobile QB's and shifty backs and that's what he always had. Sure Leak was a pro QB but he wasn't a slow poke by any means.

No different with Wisconsin, Navy, Georgia Tech, WVU, or Texas Tech. They have their systems and they go out and they find their players that fit the mold. Whats one other thing those schools listed have in common? Neither are top 10 recruiting programs. They don't need to be because they find their talent and the hell with the rankings.

I've seen the saying "we don't have an identity" too many times over the last few years dating back to 2001 regaurding our offense. We havent had turnover so we should know what we do well by now, but we don't.

 

[Bucks21]

After what I've seen of Joe through 3 games, it's time to give the keys to Braxton. Let him live through his mistakes, make his progressions and be the man. He's going to be special and we all know that, it's just going to take some time. Once the game slows down for him, watch the hell out.

Agreed.

 

[k2onprimetime]

Even if Braxton has a few turnovers a game, hes still going to move the ball. Bauserman might not throw picks, but he cant move the ball at all. Ill take turning the ball over and scoring, over not scoring at all.

 

[AuTX Buckeye]

I don't often agree with the announcers but Blackledge (sp?) said something that I agree with. "If you don't have a Pro Style QB who's gonna be playing in the NFL, not necessarily All Pro but in the league.... then you need a mobile QB." I tend to agree with this statement given the trend in college. JB, god bless him, isn't going to be playing on Sundays. With the way the line was blocking I would have liked to have seen Taylor , I heard he was throwing darts in practice, but struggled with the blitzes. Who knows ...

I don't know... i'm talking out of my ass this morning and way above my pay grade... but something interesting to think about.

 

[Apache]

Ohio State's current situation on offense:

New quarterback----all four have very little playing time. From what has transpired, none have risen above the others.

Receivers-At this point many are new except for Stoneburner. I am not sure we have a real deep threat at this point. One established receiver is not eligible at this point.

Running backs-might well be a strong point but without a passing attack the box will be quite full. One established running back is not eligible.

Offensive line-this is a unit in transition and in my humble opinion not really a foundation upon which you can build. This is not an offensive line like Nebraska's that is very physical and very aggressive. I am not sure whether it is scheme, mindset or athletes but it is what it is.

New head coach. If they give him time to grow, we may be ok. I would look for a new offensive coordinator if I were coach Fickell. With that being said, he was trying to win the surest way against Miami. I wouldn't put a big game in the hands of any of the qb's.

So fellow Buckeye fans, this year will be full of growing pains and don't be at all surprised if the clock mention days since stops this year. OUCH!!!:(

 

[buckeyesin07]

Ohio State's current situation on offense:

New quarterback----all four have very little playing time. From what has transpired, none have risen above the others.

Receivers-At this point many are new except for Stoneburner. I am not sure we have a real deep threat at this point. One established receiver is not eligible at this point.

Running backs-might well be a strong point but without a passing attack the box will be quite full. One established running back is not eligible.

Offensive line-this is a unit in transition and in my humble opinion not really a foundation upon which you can build. This is not an offensive line like Nebraska's that is very physical and very aggressive. I am not sure whether it is scheme, mindset or athletes but it is what it is.

New head coach. If they give him time to grow, we may be ok. I would look for a new offensive coordinator if I were coach Fickell. With that being said, he was trying to win the surest way against Miami. I wouldn't put a big game in the hands of any of the qb's.

So fellow Buckeye fans, this year will be full of growing pains and don't be at all surprised if the clock mention days since stops this year. OUCH!!!:(

I'm not sure I agree with your entire post. IMO, the only units really struggling right now are QB (a product of combination of questionable personnel decisions and questionable playcalling) and coaching.

The running game was absolutely gashing Miami in the first half, and a necessary condition to that is the o-line doing at least a decent job. The receivers may have had a drop or two, but I'm not buying into the thought that they're not getting open--over the past two weeks, I've seen too many open receivers that the QBs over- or under-threw and open receivers that the QBs just didn't see (and I've heard others say they've seen even more of the latter). The receivers are young, but they've done a very solid job so far.

 

[Buckeyefrankmp]

I'm not sure I agree with your entire post. IMO, the only units really struggling right now are QB (a product of combination of questionable personnel decisions and questionable playcalling) and coaching.

The running game was absolutely gashing Miami in the first half, and a necessary condition to that is the o-line doing at least a decent job. The receivers may have had a drop or two, but I'm not buying into the thought that they're not getting open--over the past two weeks, I've seen too many open receivers that the QBs over- or under-threw and open receivers that the QBs just didn't see (and I've heard others say they've seen even more of the latter). The receivers are young, but they've done a very solid job so far.

It takes two to tango. It is hard to tell from the outside if the receivers are running the correct routes. If the QB and receivers are not on the same page, is this the QBs fault or receivers. If the timing is off, who is to blame. Is the QB not reading the coverage correctly to find the open man? Just to put all the blame on our poor passing game on the QB is not right.

 

[cbrian815]

Over throwing about every deep ball when the receiver has a step is the qb`s fault. These receivers are not the problem from what I can see. When you have a step and the ball isnt remotely close to being in your zip code.....that is the qb being scared to make a play or being coached not to turn it over. Andrew Luck would love to have Devin Smith on his team right now...the guy is a freak with great hands.

Just think about the last 10 years or so and how many deep balls have been overthrown to open wr`s. TS was solid most of the time.....and my guess is he was one of the few given the green light to throw it....even if its close. Last year TP was much better with the deep ball.

When you win the turn over battle and lose 24 to 6....there are some serious serious deeply rooted issues. We got to 200 yards of offense because of the last 2 plays of the game. Epic failure by the staff. Go Bucks